A BIRDWATCHER has been left mystified by the doubling of a swan population in a park lake.

Trevor Goodchild, who lives near the Hollow Ponds, in Leytonstone, saw the most swans he has ever seen in 25 years of birdwatching at the lake.

Mr Goodchild, regularly crosses Whipps Cross Road, to enjoy Epping Forest’s closest point to London, and immediately took out his camera to snap the swans while walking with his wife over the weekend.

He added: “We have never seen that many in 25 years of living in Leytonstone, we just don’t know why there is so many.

“The sheer number is so surprising, it is definitely double more than we have ever seen."

After seeing nearly 25 swans at the famous boating lake opposite Whipps Cross Hospital, he returned to tell his neighbours.

He added: “We thought they well may be brexiting.”